28.03.2021
Constantly hearing about Product Information Management (PIM)? It may seem that a PIM is hunting for users, but this article will prove that users should hunt for a PIM.
These days companies, from small to large, have been already enjoying PIM systems for their ability to simplify business processes, help to develop new strategies and bring businesses closer to the customers. It makes sense as a PIM system includes and optimises a wide range of actions connected with e-commerce.
Product Information Management (PIM) is a product-focused system developed to manage all the information connected to the product and save time on creating catalogues, making updates or translations, processing data and more.
The PIM system allows tracking in real-time of everything that happens on the e-commerce platform in order to display organised and relevant information on the webshop or markets, publish that information to customer channels and keep in touch with team and business partners.
To be honest, there are much more reasons to integrate a PIM system immediately however the most significant are presented below with the examples from the best PIM suppliers: KennerPIM, PimcorePIM and AkeneoPIM.
Data Integration is a complex process that combines: data import and data export. PIM systems are powered with API-driven software architecture that allows simple connection with business systems like ERP, CRM, DMS and third-party platforms. PIM API provides advanced data integration with shopping carts, marketplaces and digital platforms. Import products with any attached information and additional details. Also, product data can be exported directly to leading digital marketplaces like eBay or Amazon.
PIM platforms include configurable dashboards which show real-time information about product status, general statistics to determine critical workflow states. Visually present data reports to business partners and data managers. Also, PIM solutions provide functionalities for controlling data quality and data completeness through data validation modules and quality reports. Low-quality data is excluded due to qualitative translation, high-level product localization, well-context sales channels.
Digital asset management (DAM) is commonly integrated into PIM, serves as a professional content maker and manager providing automated image arrangement function, picture customization and media storage for all type of content, e.g. graphical, video, PDF files etc. Moreover, DAM includes data processing (smart digital asset tagging, custom metadata creation). Users can increase the range of their marketing capabilities with the help of world-scale delivery performance monitoring.
Marketing is one of the closest departments to clients. Product information management system allows marketers to work with centralised data and spread it through various channels while ensuring error-free result. The ability to add meta descriptions helps customers to find a product faster and increase sales. By integrating product data within the world-known marketplaces, marketers can reach a bigger audience of consumers and gain trust. PIM system supplies marketers with the ability to use omnichannel marketing to measure the customer experience. The team can focus on channels that show the most engagement and adjust product data on other channels to match.
Product information management software aims to increase the productivity of all departments thanks to the centralization of all data in one source, fast updates and numerous tools. PIM system allows performing product information updates right away across all the channels and in different languages. Multiple abilities for full data management allows creating:
Channels to storage and separate data. One channel contains data for the e-commerce platform, another channel for retail.
Portals to simplify work with business contractors. Create Supplier Portal to keep in touch with supplies and supply data directly to the partners. Create Distributor Portal to share information with distributors while Export Feeds module makes all the data entries available.
Catalogues to organise entities and simplify searching. Catalogues include name, the entity code, and the category of catalogue positions.
Families to structure all the content related to products and navigate through types and features of products. One product belongs to one family, each family obtains a template to make descriptions on the catalogue more detailed.
Attributes demonstrate major product properties to make the list of products well-structured. Provide customers with rich descriptions to increase sales.
This is not yet a complete list of advantages that are provided by just one system. PIM is developed to be suitable for every business from a small shop to a large multinational company.
Among numerous PIM systems that are presented on the market, several software-development companies provide good product information management solutions. The best ones are KennerPIM, AkeneoPIM and PimcorePIM but how do they fit the reasons?
KennerPIM
An open-source system with unique API-centric architecture makes integration with business systems (ERP, CMS, DMS, etc.) effortless. Tasks of data import, export and exchange are made easy. Import products with any attached information, product data integration directly to leading digital marketplaces like eBay or Amazon. These results are achieved thanks to the mechanism of ETL used by KennerPim.
AkeneoPIM
https://www.akeneo.com/akeneo-pim/
An open-source solution with open API with import connectors from ERP and other sources. Provides data import, export and exchange. Available connectors with marketplaces AliExpress, eBay.
PimcorePIM
An open-source technology powered by easy-to-use APIs, however, REST API is outdated and removed in the new version of Pimcore 7, and supplier suggests migration to Pimcore Datahub. This makes data exchange with other systems more complicated.
KennerPIM
User-friendly dashboards for evaluating general statistics, product status and channels overview. Modules for control and improvement of the product data quality by measuring the completeness of data.
AkeneoPIM
Dashboards with data quality insights to measure product data quality. Ensuring catalogue completeness by sales channel and locale, validation workflow to review and approve changes only in Enterprise version.
PimcorePIM
User-specific dashboards to highlight relevant information, critical workflow states. Data validation and data quality reports for an overview of data quality.
KennerPIM
High-level Digital asset management to optimize product content and create the best conditions for professional collaborations. DAM includes
Automated image arrangement function;
Picture customization;
Media storage for other graphical content;
Data processing – smart digital asset tagging, custom metadata;
Digital asset monitoring.
AkeneoPIM
Digital asset management (DAM) connectors to control photos, videos, and all digital assets. Allows you to store, manage, enrich and use all additional files for products in all channels.
PimcorePIM
A flexible digital asset management application to centralize media assets. Provides a solid structure for reusing digital assets, optimizing data dissemination and content search processes, offer high performance and scalability.
KennerPIM
Built-in CRM module that allows to organize and plan sales and marketing (leads, opportunities, target lists). Centralized data give an ability to spread error-free information within channels and determine the most popular to make other channels match. Adding meta descriptions and tags improves SEO. Integrating data to marketplaces increase sales and customer trust.
AkeneoPIM
All data in one source provides qualitative information spread to channels and an ability to analyse them. Simple exporting product data to marketplaces.
PimcorePIM
CRM layout that allows working with clients, adding metadata and tags to put files to their optimal use. Error-free data due to centralized storage provides qualitative marketing tests. Data connectivity with marketplaces.
All PIM systems provide a wide range of tools for increasing productivity.
Tools include:
Channels and Catalogues
Families and Attributes
Portals and Category Trees
Data Classification, Categorization, Segmentation
DAM modules
User/Roles/Teams Management
and much more others
PIM systems are the best solution for businesses who want to get full control over all e-commerce processes. It is worth noting that product information management solutions do not just control product data, they provide complex, all-around support. Do not miss the chance to become a strong competitor in any business field with the help of the PIM system.
Evaluate the need for PIM
Check the number of products and amount of data in the e-commerce platform. If it takes hours to manage, update and control all the units while the company growth is too slow, the need for PIM is incredible. We would recommend considering PIM if you have at least 10K SKU or if the control processes are complicated and labour-intensive.
Select a PIM vendor
The selection of a PIM system can be complicated due to the numerous vendors of this solution. Find the vendor who provides qualitative customer support and helps new users with the integration of a PIM in all stages. For example, the KennerPIM team offers full support and will be happy to help with implementation. It is also important to decide whether Open Source or Proprietary software is the best choice for your company, or if Community or Enterprise edition should be used, as results in different cost and support of the project.
Start the migration
It is important to consider if the Vendor can also offer migration support, or all the topics need to be discussed with the third party or Vendor’s partner. KennerPIM offers user support, thus migration or integration stages do not take a lot of time and efforts. Hoverer, if there is no such support, the user should do it on his own and migration will consist of:
1. Gathering all the Data.
2. Check all the data for errors and unnecessary elements.
3. Make a data plan. (how will information fit into the system?)
4. Check all the data one more time for the smallest errors like duplicates, strange characters.
5. Make a test and download a small part of the data to see how it will look like.
6. Start the full migration.
PIM optimises e-commerce processes, saves time on boring manual work and gives the ability to easily keep in touch with all departments and partners.
PIM software is used for creating, enriching, controlling, planning product data. Also is used for marketing and SEO analysing and optimisation.
PIM platform is a set of tools and processes that aims to centralise all information in one user-friendly source.
The price depends on the type of chosen PIM system. Each PIM system usually has a free demo version and several editions, the price for them can be checked on the website or on request.
Select a PIM vendor who provides full user support to easily integrate a PIM system or follow the plan:
1. Gathering all the Data.
2. Check all the data for errors and unnecessary elements.
3. Make a data plan. (how will information fit into the system?)
4. Check all the data one more time for the smallest errors like duplicates, strange characters.
5. Make a test and download a small part of the data to see how it will look like.
6. Start the full migration.
[…] a relationship to store all pieces of item data. It covers both inside and outside item data. The Product Information Management will be used across the entire scope of the Product life-cycle, across various divisions. The item […]